About Caresse Jackman

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- From Antebellum dresses to historic homes, the 73rd annual Spring Pilgrimage kicked off Monday. With live music and plenty of crawfish, hundreds welcomed the start of this year’s event. Thousands flock to Columbus each year to catch a glimpse of its past.

Dale Benedetti and his wife traveled 9 hours from Dayton, Ohio.

“The homes are just amazing in terms of both the character as well as the craftsmanship and restoring them and the furnishings and the fact that people are actually living in them. It’s even more amazing,” said Benedetti.

This year’s tour features 14 Antebellum homes, gardens and churches. Peter and Christa Effenberger traveled all the way from Munich, Germany.

“My mom said the people here are really friendly and everybody likes to help you and it’s different like in Germany, they are not so open like here, and she likes it when you go to a shop and are really friendly and help you. It’s good,” said Marion Effenberger.

Columbus was Arkansas resident Carolyn Maiden and her husbands last stop on a list of cities. She spent the past month touring homes in Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. Maiden says Columbus is by far the best experience yet and thinks the pilgrimage here is an unforgettable experience.

“The antiques and how people lived in the 1800s. It’s just a beautiful city and we love the homes here,” said Maiden.